Insertion and removal of plugs and the like

ABSTRACT

The specific disclosure provides a device for inserting a plug into an externally threaded barrel, wherein the plug is adapted to frictionally engage the interior of the barrel and has an interiorly threaded head for threadedly engaging the barrel. The device includes a split-ring having a threaded bore for threadedly engaging the barrel, a U-shaped member having a ring pivotly mounted between the opened ends of the member for seating the first ring, and a thumbscrew threadedly engaging the crossbar portion of the U-shaped member for applying a force to the top of the plug head. The specific disclosure also provides a method of removing the plug from the barrel by rotating the plug had to threadedly disengage the barrel, fitting the split-ring about the threaded portion of the barrel, and rotating the splitring to apply an upward force to the underside of the plug head.

United States Patent I Wuertz 51 Aug. 22, 1972 [73 Assignee: Mobil OilCorporation [22] Filed: Sept. 30, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 76,941

[52] US. Cl. ..29/240, 29/157.l, 29/213, 29/281, 269/ l 29 [51] Int. Cl...B23p 19/04, B25h l/08, B25h H20 [58] Field of Search. ..29/l57.1,213,240-2405, 29/249, 281-282; 269/ 129 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS, v 1,030,732 6/1912 Jenkins ..29/240 2,808,641 10/1957Sandell ..29/21313 2,551,652 5/1951 qvreeland ..2-9/240 X 2,993,3947/1961 Scott ..29/240 X 571,077 11/1896 Sheridan ..29/213 2,108,0772/1938 7 Robinson ..269/129X 2,684,524 7/1954 Beck ..29/240 X INSERTIONAND REMOVAL OF PLUGS AND THE LIKE Inventor: John H. Wuertz, Pitrnan, NJ.

Primary Examiner-Wayne A. Morse, Jr. Attorney-Oswald G. Hayes, Andrew L.Gaboriault and James F. Powers, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT The specific disclosure provides a device for inserting aplug into an externally threaded barrel, wherein the plug is adapted tofrictionally engage the interior of the barrel and has an interiorlythreaded head for threadedly engaging the barrel. The device includes asplit-ring having a threaded bore for threadedly engagingthe barrel, aU-shaped member having aring pivotly mounted between the opened ends ofthe member for seating the first ring, and a thumbscrew threadedlyengaging the cross-bar portion of the U- shaped member for applying aforce to the top of the plug head. The specific disclosure also providesa method of removing the plug from the barrel by rotating the plug hadto threadedly disengage the barrel, fitting the split-ring about thethreaded portion of the barrel, and rotating the split-ring to apply anupward force to the underside of the plug head.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures INSERTION AND REMOVAL OF PLUGS AND THE LIKEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention isdirected to a device for inserting a plug-in a barrel and to a method ofremoving a plug from a barrel. More particularly, the invention relatesto a device for inserting a plug in a stopcock and to a method ofremoving a plug from a stopcock.

2. Description of the Prior Art Stopcocks are often used in glass orsimilarly brittle tubular lines which form part of fluid flow systemssuch as chemical apparatus for performing chemical analysis orsynthesis. Such stopcocks, particularly O-ring stopcocks, are relativelyexpensive, precision made components. O-ring stopcocks often have a plugwhich frictionally engages the interior of a barrel without utilizinggrease to aid in the insertion or removal of the plug. For example,greaseless O-ring stopcocks are often used in rigid high vacuumapparatus which require replacement of O-rings. However, the removal orinsertion of a plug of a greaseless stopcock, for example to replace theO-rings, is a tedious operation in view of the ever present danger ofbreaking the stopcock or other glass portions of the apparatus. Suchbreakage results in costly replacement, wasted down-time for theapparatus, and possible injury to the operator of the apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, thereis provided a device for inserting a plug into an externally threadedbarrel, wherein the plug is adapted to frictionally engage the interiorof the barrel and has an interiorly threaded head for threadedlyengaging the barrel. The device comprises means for threadedly engagingthe barrel and means for applying a first force to the top of the plughead. Means is connected to the first force applying means for applyinga second force to the barrel engaging means in a direction opposite tothat of the first force when the first force is applied to the plughead.

In accordance with a specific aspect of the invention, the devicecomprises a first ring having a threaded bore for threadedly engagingthe barrel, and a yoke having first and second arm portions and a thirdportion interconnecting the first and second arm portions. A second ringis mounted between the first and second arm portions of the yoke forseating the first ring, and means extend from the third portion of theyoke for applying a force to the top of the plug head.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided amethod for removing the plug from the externally threaded barrel whichcomprises the steps of rotating the plug head to threadedly disengagethe barrel, fitting a split-ring having a threaded bore about thebarrel, and rotating the split-ring to apply an upward force to theunderside of the plug head and thereby remove the plug upwardly todisengage the interior of the barrel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view, with a portioncut away, of a greaseless stopcock having installed thereon anembodiment of the device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a split-ring used in the specific embodiments ofthe present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the split-ring taken along line 33of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS With reference to FIG. 1, there isshown a greaseless stopcock or valve 10 interconnecting a pair of linesor side arms ll, 13. The stopcock 10 includes a restricted portion orvalve seat 12 and an externally threaded cylindrical barrel 19 extendingupwardly from the valve seat 12 and terminating at an open ended topportion 50. The stopcock 10 also includes a plug head 20 having athreaded bore 21 formed therein for threadedly engaging the threadedbarrel 19. A cylindrical plug 16 extends through the threaded bore 21 ofthe plug head 20 into the barrel 19, and has a pair of O-rings 17, 18fitted thereon for frictionally engaging the interior of the barrel 19.The plug 16 has a reduced diameter cylindrical member 51 extending fromthe lower end thereof. The extending member 51 has a bevelled portion 14at its lower end, and an O-ring 15 secured to the bevelled portion 14.The bevelled portion 14 and the O-ring 15 form a valve head movable withrespect to the valve seat 12 to control the flow of fluid between thepair of side arms ll, 13.

The plug 16 is secured (not shown) to the plug head 20 such that theplug head 20 is rotatable with respect to the plug 16 about thelongitudinal axis of the plug 16. Thus, the plug head 20 is rotated whenin threaded engagement with the barrel 19 to move the plug 16 up wardlyor downwardly in the barrel 19 without applying a torsional force to theplug 16. High vacuum valves manufactured by Kontes Glass Co., Vineland,N.J., under Part Nos. K-826500 and K-8265 10 are examples of greaselessO-ring stopcocks such as that shown in FIG. 1. The valve having theformer part number has parallelly arranged side arms as shown in FIG. 1,and the latter valve has perpendicularly arranged side arms.

A specific embodiment of the device according to the present inventionis a U-shaped member or a yoke which comprises a pair of arm portions25, 61 and a cross-bar portion 62 interconnecting the pair of armportions 25, 61. A ring 24 is pivotally mounted between the pair of armportions 25, 61 of the yoke 60 by means of a pair of pins 26, 27. Thepins 26, 27 are fixedly secured to respective arm portions 25, 61 of theyoke 60, and are either frictionally or loosely inserted into bores (notshown) formed in opposite sides of the ring 24. The ring 24 has anupwardly and outwardly bevelled aperture 54.

A split-ring 23, shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, is formed of twoopposing portions 40, 41 and has a threaded bore 22 for threadedlyengaging the threads of the barrel 19. The opposing portions 40, 41 maybe held together by a pair of pins 42, 43. Each one of the pins 42, 43is fixedly secured in one of the two portions 40, 41 at one end thereof,and is adapted to frictionally fit in a bore in the other of theportions 40, 41.

The split-ring 23 has an outer cylindrical portion 52, and a downwardlyand inwardly extending truncated conical portion 53 to provide abevelled surface adapted to seat in the bevelled aperture 54 of the ring24.

A thumbscrew 64 has a threaded shank 28 threadedly engaging a threadedbore 30 centrally formed in the cross-bar portion 62 of the yoke 60. Thethumbscrew 64 also includes a knurled head 29 which has a roundeddepression 31 adapted to receive the rounded top portion of the plughead 20.

To insert the plug 16 into the barrel 19, the pivotally mounted ring 24is placed over the barrel 19, and the split-ring 23 is fitted about thebarrel 19 for threaded engagement therewith. The plug 16 is placed inthe barrel 19 and the pivotally mounted ring 24 is pulled upwardly toseat the bevelled surface 53 of the split-ring 23 in the bevelledaperture 54. The yoke 60 is then pivoted about an axis defined by thepair of pins 26, 27 until the thumbscrew 64 is positioned above the topof the plug head 20. Then, the thumbscrew 64 is rotated until it abutsthe top of the plughead 20, and rotation is continued to exeita downwardforce on the top of the plug head 20 to drive the plug 16 into thebarrel 19. The thumbscrew64 is used to drive the plug 16 into the barrel19 until the internally threaded bore 21 threadedly engages theexteriorly threaded barrel 19. To this point, the operator need notgrasp ortouch the stopcock 10, and thus the device greatly minimizes thepossibility of injury to the operator in the event of breakage. Further,the device greatly reduces, and possibly avoids, the application ofshear and torsional forces to the stopcock 10, and therefore minimizesthe possibility of breakage.

At this time, the thumbscrew 64 is rotated in an opposite direction suchthat it moves upwardly with respect to the cross-bar 62 and the device,including the yoke 60, ring 24, and split-ring 23, is removed from thestopcock 10. Thereafter, the plug head 20 is turned by hand to positionthe valve 14 with respect to the valve seat 12 and thereby control fluidflow between the pair of arms 11, 13.

The yoke 60, the ring 24, and the thumbscrew 64 may be composed of ametallic substance such as brass, and the split-ring 52 may be suitablycomposed of bakelite.

Only the split-ring 23 is needed to remove the plug 16 from the barrel19. The plug head 20 is rotated until the internally threaded bore 21disengages the externally threaded barrel 19. Then, the splitting 23 isfitted about the barrel 19 to threadedly engage the barrel 19. Thesplit-ring is rotated by hand to exert an upward force to the undersideof the plug head 20 and thus move the plug upwardly. The split-ring 23is rotated until the O-rings l7, 18 are clear of the barrel 19. Thus,this method for removing the plug 16 greatly reduces, and possiblyavoids, the application of shear and torsional forces to the stopcock10, and therefore minimizes the possibility of breakage.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that theabove-described embodiments are susceptible to modification andvariation without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.For example, the split-ring 23 may have any suitable outer shape, andmay have its lower end dimensioned such that the bottom surface of thesplit-ring merely abuts the top surface of the pivotally mounted ring 24when seated on the ring 24. Further, inwardly extending members may besubstituted for the pivotally mounted ring 24 to engage or abut thesplit-ring and thereby apply an upward force to the split-ring when thethumbscrew 64 applies a force t th lu head 20.

What is cl i fnefi is:

l. A device for assembling and disassembling valve means comprising incombination an elongated plug means employed in a valve barrelexternally threaded in an upper portion thereof, said barrel providedwith a valve seat intermediate inlet and outlet conduits to said barrel,said plug means separated from said barrel by sea] 'means, said plugattached to cap means comprising a skirt which threadly engages with theexternal surface of said barrel so as to move when rotated the oppositeend of said elongated plug into and out of contact with said valve seat,said assembly-disassembly device comprising in combination a yoke meanswhich attaches to said externally threaded barrel beneath said cap meansthrough a tapered split ringmeans which is internally threaded and heldin place on said threaded barrel by a ring means attached between thelegs of said yoke having a diameter intermediate the diameters of saidtapered split ring, said yoke provided in its base opposite to said ringwith an adjustable threaded screw means suitable for providing pressurebetween said yoke and the top surface of said cap at least duringinsertion of said elongated plug into said barrel and at the time thecap is threadly disengaged from the barrel.

2. A device for use in combination with a valve assembly comprising acylindrical barrel threaded on one end of its external surface andfitted with a valve seat intermediate fluid inlet and outlet means on anopposite end of to said barrel, the flow of fluid through the valve seatbeing controlled by a moveable elongated cylindrical member sealed fromand extending into said cylindrical barrel and conformed on one end toseal with said valve seat, the movement of said cylindrical member inand out of contact with said valve seat being provided by a cap meanshaving a skirt which threadly engages with the external surface of saidthreaded barrel, the device for inserting or removing the cylindricalmember from the barrel when the cap is threadly disengaged from thebarrel comprising in combination a U-shaped yoke means fitted with arotatable ring positioned between the open end of the yoke legs, saidring being of larger diameter than said barrel but of smaller diameterthan the maximum diameter of a split ring means and positioned to holdsaid split ring means in threaded contact with the barrel externalsurface and said yoke provided with an adjustable threaded memberpositioned in the base of the yoke which contacts said cap means andpermits applying pressure thereto.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the threaded member is an adjustingscrew which may be relied upon to push the elongated cylindrical memberinto the barrel.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which turning of the split ring so as tocontact the cap skirt bottom surface is relied upon to remove theelongated cylindrical member substantially out of the barrel.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the elongated cylindrical member issealed from said barrel internal surface by a plurality of O-rings.

1. A device for assembling and disassembling valve means comprising in combination an elongated plug means employed in a valve barrel externally threaded in an upper portion thereof, said barrel provided with a valve seat intermediate inlet and outlet conduits to said barrel, said plug means separated from said barrel by seal means, said plug attached to cap means comprising a skirt which threadly engages with tHe external surface of said barrel so as to move when rotated the opposite end of said elongated plug into and out of contact with said valve seat, said assembly-disassembly device comprising in combination a yoke means which attaches to said externally threaded barrel beneath said cap means through a tapered split ring means which is internally threaded and held in place on said threaded barrel by a ring means attached between the legs of said yoke having a diameter intermediate the diameters of said tapered split ring, said yoke provided in its base opposite to said ring with an adjustable threaded screw means suitable for providing pressure between said yoke and the top surface of said cap at least during insertion of said elongated plug into said barrel and at the time the cap is threadly disengaged from the barrel.
 2. A device for use in combination with a valve assembly comprising a cylindrical barrel threaded on one end of its external surface and fitted with a valve seat intermediate fluid inlet and outlet means on an opposite end of to said barrel, the flow of fluid through the valve seat being controlled by a moveable elongated cylindrical member sealed from and extending into said cylindrical barrel and conformed on one end to seal with said valve seat, the movement of said cylindrical member in and out of contact with said valve seat being provided by a cap means having a skirt which threadly engages with the external surface of said threaded barrel, the device for inserting or removing the cylindrical member from the barrel when the cap is threadly disengaged from the barrel comprising in combination a U-shaped yoke means fitted with a rotatable ring positioned between the open end of the yoke legs, said ring being of larger diameter than said barrel but of smaller diameter than the maximum diameter of a split ring means and positioned to hold said split ring means in threaded contact with the barrel external surface and said yoke provided with an adjustable threaded member positioned in the base of the yoke which contacts said cap means and permits applying pressure thereto.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the threaded member is an adjusting screw which may be relied upon to push the elongated cylindrical member into the barrel.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which turning of the split ring so as to contact the cap skirt bottom surface is relied upon to remove the elongated cylindrical member substantially out of the barrel.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the elongated cylindrical member is sealed from said barrel internal surface by a plurality of O-rings. 